The Martine Leherpeur trend bureau has analysed developments in retail following the “digital tsunami”. They’ve identified six key new trends.

After evaluating the new generation of “ultra-connected” consumers who are transforming consumer trends – “digital boomers” – the Martine Leherpeur trend bureau has identified six new distribution models where online and offline buying overlap or intertwine.

Press Release – Sydney, March 2016 – A leading Australian retail technology provider, has announced global expansion and rebranding. ComActivity Retail, who provide concept-to-consumer retail solutions for iconic businesses in the apparel sector will rebrand as Global Omnichannel Group with offices in Australia, US and Europe.

The retail industry has been experiencing significant disruption for several years now, with a transition to an omnichannel sales approach seeks to provide a seamless shopping experience across all sales channels – online, mobile or in-store, with integration between channels on the back end.

Do you remember the days when you could go into your local store and the store assistant would have your items ready before you’d even had a chance to draw a breath? On top of that they’d be making suggestions and offering you products based on what they know you need, and what you might like too. Fast-forward a few years and this level of service has fallen by the wayside. Or has it?

We all know how powerful the sense of smell is. You just have to open an old school book, and there you are, 8 years old, sitting in class again. In the never-ending hunt for new ways to offer an immersive in-store experience, retailers are turning to aroma marketing, which is both highly-effective and relatively inexpensive.

In the 2015 RIS Software LeaderBoard report, Cegid ranks in 20 Top 5 categories, including #4 on the LeaderBoard’s overall Top 20 list. According to the report, vendors featured on this prestigious list are the “best-of-the-best” among the 50 companies evaluated in the 2015 survey.
The RIS Software LeaderBoard, in its 15th year and hosted by RIS News, is recognised as the industry’s most influential guide to the best technology vendors in retail. Customer satisfaction is the signature element of the LeaderBoard, as it aggregates 747 evaluations made by 332 retailers for 50 retail technology vendors.Continue reading→

Don’t believe everything that you hear about millenial consumers – especially that they don’t buy stuff. Fortune magazine recently looked at the spending habits of young adults compared with 30 years ago – when boomers were young, and there are some surprising findings.

A house is only as strong as its foundations – in retail, this means building a rock solid platform that can deliver a connected brand experience across all channels. Dynamic UK fast fashion retail group, Quiz Clothing’s ambitious growth plans were being slowed by difficulties in providing the seamless Omnichannel experience their customers have come to expect.Continue reading→

Recent signs indicate that retailers around the country are justified in being optimistic in their hopes for a highly profitable holiday season. But besides making sure they’re fully stocked to cope with the upcoming busy season, it’s time to think about what they learned in 2015, ready to hit the ground running in the new year. Sharon Gold, expert in all things retail from CIO magazine, focuses on what technology lessons retailers need to have learned for 2016 success.

The retail world is changing. Constant innovations in technology are allowing for new and improved ways to make payments and meanwhile, customers’ expectations are higher than ever. They are exchanging loyalty for whichever brand offers them the most convenience, the most relevant promotions and loyalty schemes, and the best overall shopping experience.Continue reading→

Over the last 20 years, online shopping has gone from being something that people view with suspicion to an accepted part of everyday life. Today, Amazon and eBay are household names, and even supermarkets are up against online grocery retailers such as Fresh Direct. The store is facing challenges from multiple fronts, not just from online retailers, but also from today’s hyper-connected consumer who expects more from their in-store shopping experience. They demand a seamless encounter with their preferred brand and they expect to be recognized and rewarded.

In an era where new technology is changing the face of commerce as we know it, retailers need to re-invent the store to ensure its survival. Stores need to be transformed from places to buy to experiential theatres to showcase merchandise, brand ethos and engage customers.Continue reading→